Sausage twisting and linking machine.



W. J. COLLINS.

SAUSAGB TWISTING AND LINKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. a, 190s.

,Patented out, 26, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

W/ TNE SSE S A TTOHNE YSy W. J. COLLINS. SAUSAGE TWISTING AND LINKING MACHINE'.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 3, 1908.

11 H l Z E 6,8 NZ N E0 Dn n v5 m .wm mf MN W/T/VESSES A TTOHNE YS W. J. ooLLINs. i SAUSAGE TWISTING AND ,LINKING MACHINE'.

APPLIIJATION FILED MA-B.. 3, 1908.r 938,21 5;V

` Patented 0ot.26,1909... v

l wmvEssEs W. J. COLLINS. SAUSAGE TW'IS'EING AND LINKING MACHINE.

AP'PLUATION P ILBD MAB.. 3; 1908-.

Patented4 Oct. 26, 1909.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

' gli" v W. J. GOLLINS. SAUSAGE TWISTING AND LINKING MAGHINB.

APPLIoA'rIoN FILED MAB. a, 190e.

Patented 061;. 26, 1909,.v

7 SREETS-SHBT 7.

W/TNESSES ATTHNEYS' `are held fixed. As soon a mit tlie forming oflinks of`various lengths;

and the section' intermediate 'the gripped points, is twisted by means ofrotatable gripping mechanism which seizes the casing at points adjacent to theigripld s e section intermediate the gripped points h `been twisted suiiiciently to form a link, thgripping and twisting mechanism is automatically released and the filled casing-is seized by a pair'of' blades or arms which advance thecasin'g by drawingA it through the released gripping and twisting `mechanism, until a point 'is Ireached such vthat a section ofthe casing can beprovided for its manual operation.

adapted to be'twisted into asecond link is arranged between the gripping and twisting means. These then become operative and the j advancing mechanism returnsto its original position and again seizes the casing when the second link has been formed, whereupon the casing is again advanced when the gripping" and twisting .mechanism has been released.

These operations are repeated untilthe entire stuffed casing has been formed into links of the desired length. The operation o f my machine is' automatic. Preferably it isl powerjdriven; although if necessary, means The gripping and twisting means consist of a pair of holding members which are brought i' the casing and separatedl The pairs of 'separated twist-A ving members are arrangedintermediate of "ing intolinks of various lengths.

f Referring more particularly to thev drawings;- I provide'a-suitable machinebase 1,'

carriednpon legsor supports 2; these may lbe ofianysuitable form and may ioned to beV secured to th'e floor. The base carries a-projecting shelf 3 formed integral ytherewith .and upwardly offset... Integral with the shelf 3 is an `-upright 4,.pr'ovided with strengthening flanges 5'. The upright.

4 has 'an integral head 6 which at one side is laterally extended to project beyond the upright,' for a purpose which will: appear hereinafter.

. The base lfvhas a side wall 7 upon'which is mounted a' bearing 8. At the opposite 'side of thev base is' a'bearing 9 corresponding to the'bearing 8.' A driving shaft 10 vis journaled in the bearings S and 9l and has .a'flywheel 11, and loose upon theshaft a driving pulley 12. A clutch 13 is arranged upon the shaftto coperategwitli 'the pulley to secure ithe'samef'to' theshaft..-

operating. link 14\ secured intermediate'the points, which' vpedal lever can be held in van inoperative position.

the shaft, and'is in mesh `with a will appear hereinafter.

of the crank'27 is' of a racksbar. 28 sli ably arranged in a guide Consee idly held and at the f (see Fig. 4). has a pinion semi-cylindrical member an end formed int-oa pedal 16fby means; of;

pinion ISS.

an operative 'andi fia- 'ote'd at one of the legs 2 ofthebase'and :has

7.0' vwhich it Vcan be. operated to 4control the clutch. -A leg 2.adjacentvv to the pedal layer' keyedfor lotherwise rigidly mounted upon Wheel 19 Carried by@ spindle .2o journaal* face of' the gear wheel 19, which -is 'off'the disk type' adjacent@ the; wall-7; has' frmed therein 'a `cani' groove 22 engaged "by: a Stud-' 23 'providedat theV end of a rod24 slidably mounted erwise securedftothe side wa1ls^7 and the 'shelf 3.. vThe' rod`24 serves a purpose fwhieh" At the outside of the gear vided-a crank pin. 26'1 i pon which vis i iio'unted oneend of a crank27. The opposite'l4 end ivoted at the extremity.

in guide brackets -25 bolted oi' oth-1 when-i9 is p'ml recess 29 of a frame 3.0 secured V underneath I theshelf 3 a t one side-thereof. e

A substantially vertical spindle 31 isjour-'LQ n'aled underneath the shelf 3 'andcarries. aj

loose pinion 32 in -mesh withtherack-bar 28. Anratchet wheel 33 is arranged uponthespindle 31 and-is rigidly screwedo'r other-4 oa wise securedto the pinion 32.d '-A gear wheel 1 .34 is loosely mounted uponthefsp'indle 31' and" has a dog 35 pivoted thereupon by means of a screw or in.V any'otlier convenient mannerfand normally held in engagement with the ratchet by means of a-spring 36 .or 1 any otherl suitable resilient member. The

' arrangement is such that when the rackfbal" 28 is; operated to turn the. pinion 3 2' in' onedirection, the gear -wheel 34 is' similarlyA driven through the dog 35 and the ratchet 33, '1 a shoulder of which is then operatively en gaged bythe do t 'A shaft lfisariaiigedv longitudinally'o the upright and is journaled' in suitable bearings 38 of. the-.saine thereupon.. and in mesh with'the ear 34.

At the end projecting 'beyond the head 6 V ot the latter is formed into --al 40 which has at the At the lowerv end,l the shaft-1 39 keyed orotherwis'e fastened tile uprightA s opposite sides, ears 41. Acorrespondingly' vformed semiec lindricalinember`42 has 'ears 43 which. can4 e secured by means of screwsV or bolts 44 to the' ears 41'.A The members-40 .and 42 form acylindrical? collar`A proy'dedtJ near the upperv edge with an interiorannular groove 'on recess' 45.. A .cylinder-, .havingy formed .at the outside thereof a peripheia gear 475 is arranged within the coliar, with the gear 47 located in the groove-45.

a seems' gear 47 is in mesh with a gear 48 keyed or..

other convenient Ina-nner. The member 40 at the opposite side from the extension 49, has another extension 52 provided with an .opening in wlnclris. movably arranged an -operatingl rod 53, the lower end' of whichy extends'through a lsuitable opening of the l shelf 3 and is provided with a collar 54C.

A The operatingsrod has a longitudinal groove l `55,whichserves as a key-way for securing theV collar in position.. The latter has an exv,tension 5G which engages in a suitable recess 2o '56a ofthe rod 24 and permits'the actuation of the operating rod by means of the rod 24.

= An annular ixedzplate 57 is arranged at the upper edge oit the collar formed by the 1 members 40. and 42, and has extensions 58 provided with openings. The guide rod 50 is-arranged in the openings of one of the ex- *wtension's-58 and a similar.' guide rod 53 is @mounted in .the opening of the opposite eX- tension 58. The rods are secured in position ibymeans of set-screws 5l` or in'any other Cconvenientjmanner. The under side of the ,plate 57 has an annular recess 59a in which is arranged a movable ring 60. The latter .is,connected by means ot a link (il, with a '3.5 c'ollaiGQ,"rigidly'mounted upon the releasing ,rod 53 by means of a key G3 engaging the groovel 551.' The collar hasan arm Gt pivoted tothe linkftll which is also pivoted to the ringGQ.' ...The plate 57 at opposite sides has -.-O lextensions provided with radial dovetail grooves 65 in' which are slidably mounted' grippingmembers suitably formed for thejpurpose, and at'vtheadjacent ends having f recessed heads G( between which the .sausage fefasing can be vsuitably held. The members .F'GG have pins 68 extending downwardly.

l Athrough openings 69 of the plate extensions.- i The pins. 68 'are connected by means of links 70 with the ,ring .60. The links 70 are piv- J'G-voted tothe pins 68 and the ring 60. Cotter j pins 71 serve to hold the-links 70 upon the pins G8,

v'The plate 57 at opposite sides, has further extensionsfwi'thdovetail radial grooves 72, intermediate the. grooves G5', and at substantially "right angles thereto. Suitably formed blocks 73 are slidabl)T arranged in the grooves 72, and have the inner ends i" .formed into downwardly disposed lingers 7st,

" G0 l adapted to engage the recesses 75 in twisting `members 7 (3. The latter are mounted to slide in radial groovesV 77,' formed in the upper rim` of the cylinder' 4G, and are arranged underneath the gripping members 6G.

6 5 The twisting members 76 have the adjacent have ins 60. .The links 80 are pivotally held upon ends lrecessfal or otherwise suitably' tannedifVA vto engagethe sausage casing. The bloeks731 l 73,- vvhich extend l'downwardly .f1- througi su.itableopenings 79 mi the .correv spending plate extensions.- The4 ins *Z8-aref connected by means of linlrsS() withthe ring" thel pins 7 8 by means et Cotter pins. 8l, and

are likewise ypivote-ily secured in' any i venient manner. to the ring (i0: The .cylinder 46 has the upper rim provided with a groove 82, annular inform and adapted to com receive the fingers 7/l ot the blocks 73 .so

that the cylinder can rotate freely-vvithout`l interference by the blocks. l

l partly rotating thel ring j'in one di rectlon or the other, the gripping members and the blocks, and the.v twisting members` t are moved longitudinally ofv their respective grooves. through the linksand 80. Con-' sequently. when the rod 24 turns the operlating rod 53 in one direction or thev other, the latter through the link l, actuantesV gripping and twisting members. v-

' The cylinder 83 is slidably'arra'nged within the cylinder 46, and has a slot 84;' arranged to receive a projection 35 of the cylinderfllG whereby it is ada )ted to rotate with the latter. it its lower edge, the cylinderf83'4 has a laterally extended flanged lI 'inrsimilar to the corresponding part ofthe cylinder 46. -in inverted plate 57a is arrangedat the lower .end of the cylinder and hasl extensions 5,8 which receive the guides.y 50

and 59. rlhe lower plate 57a 'is similar linform tothe upper plate 57, ai1d like thedatter has a movable ring 60 in anI annular groove. ot' the gripping members 66 and 67. respectively. .lt should .be clearly'-,understood that the lower portion of the gripping -lloo and twisting mechanism is exactly .similar to the upper portion and isi mei-ely',inverted so that the sausage casing is'gripped aiul twisted at two separated points. Thering GO of the upper 'plate is joined, by aflinlr 6l with a collar G2 secured by meansFof-'akey 63 upon the rod4 The ring'h'of the lower plate is similarly connected by'meaus of a link' G1 with a -collar 62 upoirthereleasing rod The last-mentioned collar a set screw 83 which engages inthe groove 55 and by means of it the collar 62. can be adjustably secured in' position.v the lower member GG is slidablyand adjustablyy mounted upon the guides 37.A and 59 SO 11X15 and as thcvcylinder is slidable within the cylinder 4U, the distance sepa 'at-ing the upper and lower gripping and twisting )outing loud7 the sleeve S7' has keyed-or. otheri i tliefsausages.

wisev rigidly mounted thereupon, a drinnr 88 having vtwo peripheral annular grooves or recesses 89.-' and f90. respectively, An selon v'Splate 91 is s lidably' mounted 'upon the' guide 50 and' vthe 4voperatir'ig rod. 53 `between `:the shaft 3 and `thetwisting 'mechanisim -A 'the en s, for .y this" purpose.

the ends', the, plate 91'hasv an opening 92 '.,t-herethroughl which;.permits the passage of a suitable bracketl 96.

and is rovided with suitable openings near Intermediate "flexible member, preferably a chain98. The chain 98 passes upwardly .over grooved' pulj leys '99 vand 99a carried uby the head 6 and the'eXten'sion 52 of' the'upright respectively-` Afterpassing overthe pulley'99, the chain 98 returns andpasse's downwardly through a suitable openingot the shell:l 3 and `passes v around a .groovedv pulley 100 carried by a vthe groove 90 of thedrum --up-.and down longitudinally '30 suitable bracket 101 at the under side Pof the shelf.- The vend* ofthe chain 98 is secured in 88. By means o't plate 91 is moved of the guide 50 and the operating rod 53, as the drum is reciprocated through they corresponding back and forth" movement ot` the rack-bar 28.

thefchains 94l and '98 the The latten-it will -be remembered, is driven from'the gear wheel 19...*

Arms 102 formed to seize and hold the sausage link, are pivoted together upon,` the with projections 104, adapted to be engaged' A v wise Irigidly platev 91 by means of a suitable pivot pin 103. 'The arms are arranged to extend over the opening 92. andv have the ends remote from the latter, outwardly disposed and provided by the lobes of a canr105, keyed or othermounted upon the releasing rod. 53, "and movable longitudinally of the saine, with the plate. vThe plate has a recess 100 in which is arranged a leaf spring 107 hav- ;ingan end secured' to each of the arms 102.

The spring 107. tends normally to force the arms 102 apart. I' r1 he cam 105,4when the operating rod is actuated in a predetermined manner, engages to grip the sausage` link,

against the tension of thespring'107.

The shelf 3 has an opening therethrough in which is `arranged a substantially vertical sleeve 108having at the upperend a later- 109, which rests upon,

ally disposed flange the shelf. The upper,- imier 'edge of the sleeve is rounded. The opening of the sleeve y grooved in position by' means of;

rsage links.v

l which permit the operati i cam groove 22.

the extensions .104` of the arms and forces theflatter toward each other 48,' which is in mesh withl 108 registers l with theopening 92 of thev 4plate 91 and with the bores of the cylinders 83 and 4G, so that the sausage can pass down- 4 wardly through the cylinders, the opening 92 and the-sleeve 108.

A cover`110 is mounted upon thehead of the upright 4, and is secured inposition by sion 112 which is upwardly-odset and. projects over lthe upper plate` 57. It h'as a substantially central opening 113, and adjacent thereto,';upwardly extending lugs 114carryingv therebetween .a pivot 'pin 115. A rollerll is'carried by tlie Ipin 115 and serves to direct the lled sausage casing A to the. opening-113. The sausageI casin means of screws or bolts 111. The cover-110` extends over the Vgear 48 and has an eXten- 0 passes through -tlie machine, asis indicated in dotted. outline in Figs. 1, 4 and 5.

to advance the same through the machine, may be of any suitable form; preferably, each is provided with a concavity 117 atl the under-side, which permits the arms to grip at the intersection between two adjacent sau- I necessary, the arms at the'adjacent sides, may have edge recesses l118 the suitable engagement of the link intersections by thearms.

The lled sausage casing passes over the groved roller. 116 and through the opening 113, to the cylinders ,46 and 83,. It passes through the latter, and at a certain stage of on of the machine the gripping arms 66 are moved toward each other and engage the casing, compressing and holding it at separated points.A Atthe same time, the twisting arms 7 6 advance toward each other vand likewise engage and firmly hold the casing. The 'gripping and twisting arms are rendered inoperative by the movement of the rings G0, which are rotated by the links The arms 102 which'seize the sausagelinks '.8 l,

61 and the operating i'od` The latter is actuated by the rod 24 which is engaged by the projection 50. The rod `24 is moved backward or forward vas the case may be, by means ot rotation of the gear -19 with the' The latter 'comprises oppo-v sitely-located curved sect-ions 22al and 2212, each of which is concentric with the gear wheel 19, and which are of different radius. The sectioi isv"2.2a4 and 22J are joined by fun. ther substantially straight groove -sections 22C. 1t will be understood that as long as the stud 23 is in'engagement with the groove section 22a or the section 222th@ rod is not l'moved longitudinally; but when the groove sections 22c displace the rod in the direction of itsleiigth and thus actuate the operating rod 53,;theieby actuating the gripping an twisting members.

As long 'asthe casing is held by ,the f gripping and twistingmember's,--the cylinders 46l and 83 arerotated by the gear Wheel the 'teeth of the gear .471up'on the cylinder 46.' During this rotation, the twist-ing members are located in the "grooves 77' of the cylinders 4:6 and'83 and are carried around' with the same' to.

-twistthe casing. The. fingers yYa'are inoperall .lie

. i' vsausage the section of the sausage casing inter1ne tirate the gripped points vis rapidly rotatedand twlstedlto form la link. The gear wheel 48 is driven by the shaft 37, which.. in turn is actuated bythe pinion 39 and the gear wheel 34.A The latter is driven .through the engagement .of .the dog 35 with the ratchet 33, the latter being rigid with the pinion 32,. which is'operated by the raclebar 28. 'The latter has' a crank connection with the .gear wheel-19, andv .owing to thev interposition of the dog and ratchet between the pinion 32 .andthe gearwheel 34, the twisting action is effected only, when the rack-bar 28 'is moving backward, that is, toward the gear Wheel 19. During the return movement of' the rack har 28,.'the dog slips inoperatively alor-g 'the rim vof the ratchet, sothat the gear wheel 3a is 'not operatechin turn to operatethe -shaft 37.

I.' -As the drum 88 is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the pinion 3 2 itis recipiiroe'ated in accordance with the backward and' forward movements of the rack bar 28. 's'the rack bar is moving backward,l the drum'` is rotated -in fa. direction which, t'i'irough the chain 98 serves to advance the piate 91 upward along the guide. 50 and 'the operatingrod 1Whilethe link is being twisted, the advancing means are ap-. preaching the twisting means. iVhen the operationhas'progr'essed to a certain 'point-'f the operating rod is actuated by the rod 24 and the cam groove,.and releases the gripping and twisting members. As the rotation of .thecylinders ceases, the lingers 74C .engage-the recesses 75 of the twisting mem bers and the latter are separated as the blocks ('3 are moved outwardly. The same .movement of -the operating rod 53 acluates the cam 105 so that the spring 10T 'appreaches the advancing arm 102', which seize the sausage casing. The rack bar 2S now begins its `iorward movement and .the drum 88 is then rotated in the opposite direction .and thus, through the chain 94 moves the alongthe guide and the l plate 91 downward l opera-tingj rod., As Vthe arms 102 have grippedthe casing, however, the sausage is drawn through the machine as the plate -91 moves downward. It will be .understood that, owing to the inoperative engagement the 'grippingand twisting 'members are ren` dered -operative vand so'that the" 'advancin -the filled casing is now twisted-while the the twisting'mechanism.` l p y v Briefiy; stated, the operation":o'fvmy ma:

mechanism is rotating a section of the'filled caslng to form a luik, thejadyanclnginecliamsm 1s 'approaching 'the` twlsting' mechan ism, which meanwhile, is 'inoperativelv .lVh'en a. sufliclent lengt-h ofthe filled"ca' s1ngj`has vancing mechanism is j'relea'sed a'nd'jthe ltwisting mechanism becomes "operative 5to form the succeeding section'into alinlgl-the advancing mechanism lfmeanwlfiile,p` ia'g'ain ap? sume. a'. position such that.it'canseiiejfthe casing, .furtheiyto advz'ineey thejs'ame' 'as soon as the twisting actionjeeases', l In forming .thel .lijk 'lie 'tillledfcasi'ng tance ybetween which correspoiids' txffthelength of the link. i The 'advancing iechanism draws the casingfthroughythei'machine 'for a length corresponding' to t\,vo""`link grips spaced apart. andv adapted to .hold the filled casing, each gripzofieachsaidf'pairs being adapted`v toL engage; the A'casing indeq pendently of. the` other` grip, said. seeol'rd .pair

, being intermediatesaid gripsof saidljlirst pair, and means for.rotating;z o1 f 'said pairs to twist the casing'. im 1 2 In` combination, 4gripy tor-.liolcling la" filled casing-rat separated points,,meanstor gripping thefcasing atlrseparate termediate the' first points, ant inea] operating said means y .whereby the l intermediate-.the first points@ 3. 'lnco'mbinatioin mealiL for ad ,w

filled casing intermittenti t, '.gripS fffOr gliold- .ing the casing at separated .poinfts,.,f t urther means for gripping thegcasingat..sepa-rated of the dog 35 with the ratchet 33 when. the points intermediate-the firstseparated,points,

latter is turned in one direction, the twisting mechanism is moperativeqand permits the to be drawn' freely therethrough. 'Whenthe plate' '91 reaches a predetermined point, ,the rack-bar has completed its fore@ means for operating said ,urtherQgripping means whereby the `casing isfftwisted intermediate the first separated pmi-nts',l ,andy means tor .rendering both' 'said'. g1ipsf-and ..said

chine' is as follows: 'Vhile the twisting ism, and, y.as soon as thejtwistingaction ceases, the advancing"'mechanism'seizesthe casing and returns. drawing the filled' cas' proaching l. the ytwisting `mechanism, .toas-W 4is twisted atv vrtwo separatefpoiiits, th'ejdis' ward .inovement and begins to return. At thls time .the cam groove; again'"a'ctualtes'VV the rod 24 to turn the operating :rod-'531 so that arms 102' are released. Thenextfsectiongo y plate 91 is again advancingupward' t'owa-id i t' l j lng with it throughv the twisting 'mechanbeen draw-'n through themachil'id'flth ad holdinga filled casing, a second'. pairfof .releasing them, said advancing means being inoperative when both said gripping means are operative.

4. In combination, means for forming a lled casing into links, and advancing means, said advancing means being movable towardl I and away. from said first means, and said advancing means having relatively movable arms for gripping the casing and holding the' same while moving away from ysaid irst" means.

5. In Combination, intermittently .oper-4 able means vfor -forming a filled casing into links, Ai5

advancing means movable toward andaway from said rst means, and means for simultaneously operating said first means and said advancing means, whereby said first means are inoperative while said. ad

vancing means are moving away from said j first means, said advancing meansinclnding arms for gripping the Casing, said gripping arms of saidadvancing lmeans being in, operative when said advancing means fa r e' moving' toward said first means.

. 6. In combination, means for forming a filled ,casing into links, advancing means movable towardand away from said first means and including separable arms for seizing and holding the casing, and means for controllingsaid irst'means and said ad-1 vancingg means, whereby said first means for advancing the casing.

8. In combination, `ni'eans for gripping a filled casing, means for twisting the casing atf'a point adjacent to the gripped point, further means separated from said first means' tor gripping the casing, other means for twisting the casing at a point adjacent tothe point' gripped by said urther means,

l said other twi rated points,

said first gripping and vsaid first twisting Vmeans and said with respect be;v varied, and means for intermittently adv ancing the easing. l

9. In combination, intermittently operable means for gripping .a lled Casin at sepa-` intermittently -opera le means Afor twisting the casing atpoints adjacent respectively tothe gripped points, intermittently operable means foradvancing the casH ing,^ and means for simultaneously operating said? other means whereby said advancing '-ineansare inoperative while said twisting further gripping means and I ting means, being adjustable to one another, "whereby the length of the link `formed therebetween can esagera means and said ripping means are oper ative, and where y said advaning means are operative while said gripping means .and said twistiii means "areinoperative, said gripping an l said twistingjmeans vbeing adjust-able with respect to one another, whereby linksot varying lengthscan be formed. 10. In -combnation,

`means for interinit-' tently advancing atilled casin grips'for engaging lthe casingv and for olding the same Ixed, 'grips for engaging the casingat a point adjacent'to the first en agedy pointI and kfor twisting the same, an means for.

simultaneously' operating 'said l'other means j and said grips.

11. In combination, members forgi'-ippneI' Y a sausage casing and arrangedfto'be-movtoward and away from eachother, members for twisting the casing and arranged tobe moved toward and' away from' eachother` said twistingfmembers being vmovable iii- 'dependently "of said gripping members, each ofv said twisting members being. adjacent to one of said gripping members, said twistipgzmembers being. spaced apart, means for in'- erating said members, means r vtermittently op for operating 'said twisting members 'mdependently of said grippingmembers,and

means for intermittent-ly advancing the` casing. "12. In combination, casing-grip ling menibers movable 'toward and away rom each other,l casing-twisting members movable to ward 'and away. from each other, said twist-v ing members when in'a predetermined posi.-

' tion being rotatable, whereby the casing can.

roeAVK be twisted, means' for4 simultaneously rendering saidmembers operative, means for' intermittently rotating said twisting niembers, and means roi' intermittently advancing the casing.

' 13. In combination,casing-gripping inembers movable toward and vaway from each other, casing-twisting members movable .to-` ward and away frein each other', means for, simultaneously operating said members', said twisting. members in a predetermined position being free to r'otate, 'means for intermittently rotating said-twisting members,-

' means for `rendering said gripping members and said twisting members operative and in'- operative, and means. for controlling` said lastfmentioned meaiiswhereby the same are operated before andgater the operation of bers. l .g v

14. In conibination,1h'olding ii'ieinbers movable toward andaway from each' othe'rand servinnf to grip a c asing, twisting members niovabtle toward and awaydroml eachother' and serving togrip the casing'adjacent'ito said holdingmember's, means for sinr ultaneoi'isly moving' all said members, said,y Wisting members wlien approached,being reeto s'aid means for rotating said twisting memrrotate, 'means for intermittently 'les f saidfwisting. members; means for separating said violding members after the rotation ofk twisting members are. being rotated.

:15.111 combinationf a.

' rated, said-members serving toggr'ipa saumenibers when approachedengaging said hollow. `member v and being .tree c to rotate'f 201 low member being 4,inta-table, 'certain'.of said i said -stwisting members, and lmeans forintermit-tent-ly advancmg. the cas1ng, sa.id.advanc- 1- mg means being inoperative while said plate Y having.. grooves, members movable .in said groovesy and arranged'to. be approached and -sep.a-

, sagecasing atl-adjacent. points,v a hollow.v member arranged c'entlallywitlr vrespect'to said 'plate and arrangedto 'permit Vthe ysanj .sage casi-ngt topass therethrough, said holtherewith, meansl .for separating approaching said nie1nbers, an' d mfeansforl Qrov tatng said hollow mgmber. y f

permit the casing-:to pass therethrough into I said hollow meinbeii and vprovided with grooves. gripping members movably' arbers .arrangedin certain ofisaid grooves and ranged; in certain of said '-grooves and adapted; to'ebe separated and approached, said movable into .engagement 'with' said liollowf member, said further members being adapt- .-edtogrip,.thesausage casing when -ap-, proached, means forsimultaneously separat-' I11g -a1id approaching said gripping .memy bers and said f nitlrermembersg said hollow' member beingrotatable, means for inter-" mittently rotatingsaid hollow member when*y said further -members are f in` engagementy therewith, and means for in'terniittently ad'- vancing the sausagel casing throiigh said hollow member..

17. In combination, a cylinder having radial grooves in a rim thereof, a plate-having a central opening and arranged at the grooved rim of saidl cylinder, said plate having radial grooves, grippingnnembers and blocks slidably arranged in said grooves of said plate, twisting members slidably arranged adjacent to said blocks and .movable into said '.Qrooves of said cylinder, a movable member controlling said gripping members -and said blocks, said blocks being formed to engage said twisting members to control the same. said c vlinder being formed to engage said blocks in a mannersnch that said cylinder is tree' to rotate, meansV Jfor operating said movable member to approach said gripping members and said twisting members and to separate the same,r means for `rotating said cylinder when said gripping members and said twisting membes` .1 9.. 'In ombination ,lmeans filledy casing 'in'to liiijks, means for tently driiangl 'said lfirst meansg fmovablettowardand*'way from .said -r'stn means, I'neans controlled"bysaid-fdri f 16. In combination, a hollow 'member lar-f means for'niovingfsaid-member toward iaid" ranged tapermit asansagegcasing to pass-l therethrough,A apl'ate havingan .opening tff riedbysa the' casing', said arms being operatlive'while f.

saidfiistxmeans are inopertivef.;

`driving member, a reciprocable membereconltrolled'by said ldriving member,.mea;n`s tori; w

means are operated vwhen said freciproc adajancing troll ymoving 'fawaylV vfroi'nfsaid.t, isting means.'

. l'ing-twisting' means,. a rotatable Vdriving said -reciprocable member, *said advancing t ntly- 'ad hrougv Verreisen .seiiales Ce'.

15.5111. eombiiiiieii,jfpii'rria a .filled @angine l 'f .movable toward means means" operativ-eff said "rstmeans awayffroinsaid irst'means. and armslican ,.-member for seizing and holding.

Q0," lncombination; rotatable'sausagecas-l ing-twisting means, a contlnnonslyimovable rconnecting said reciprocable. `Vmemb'el-.J-and said 'twisting Ameans 'whereby ysaid. ,twisting f ble member ismoving in one direction .on-ly, jan

' member Y movable stof` fard rom said twisting-.inmensameans. 4c ony .sa-id reciprocablefmember :for .opf-l eifating 'said- -a'dvancing member-,1an means lon sav-id advancing member .f i-foijg` sei 'ca sing,f said'= lla st-mentioned .l meansj a wa y operative! while said",advancinggmember -ll In combinatiomrot 'tablesansagecasf 'by said driving member, means for operatively connecting said reciprocablev member. and said twisting means, whereby'the latter?v are rotated when' said reciprocable member is moving in one direction, an advancing member movable toward and away. fro1n said twisting means, vsaid advancing member being operable through the-moven'ient of l member being controlled by said reciprocable member sothat it moves toward Said twisting means' when the latter areA inoperative, means 4carried'on said advancing member` for seizing and holding-441e 'c:ising, 125 A 2Q. .ln combination, means for forming :1 -130 filledsausa'g'e casingantolinks', a. rotatable "driving member, a reciprocable member con- 'trolledbytsaid driving member, a rotatable.

'. ineinber controlled .by said reciprocable member and mov-able in4 opposite directionsthereby, advancingl meansy movable toward and away from said first ymeans and having mean-s for seizing and 4holding the casing,'

and ineansxfon operatively connecting said ,advancing 4means and said rotatable memv vber,'sai'd advancing means being .operative While n iovin'g away from said first means. l

23. In combination, means for formino a 4V filled sausage casing into links,a drivingl heel a lrecipr-oc-able rack-bar having a" braid; onnection with said driving Wheel, a

'..woiindjaboiitlthe latter in opposite direc-i tions.

24, lnlcombi'iiation, means for Nforming a filled'l l.sausagefcasing intol links, a member movablejtoyvard and awayf. from said first means, and.-'iicl'nding" means for seizing and holding tbe casing, an operating member controlling said first aneans and said lastmentioned means and having mechanism Jfor simultaneously, rendering said .first means inoperative .and vsaid last-mentionedmeans operative, and -means ,controlled by said driving member. lfor oper-,ating said operating member at predetermined intervals.

.25. Incombinatiom imeans 'for forming a filled sausage casing into links, a rotatable drix'fing member, an advancing member mov'- -able -tonjard andavvay from said first means twisting the. casing, means reciprocable rod Acontrolled by .said driving member, means for operatively connectlng .said rod and 'said first means, Wberebysaid rod serves'to render said first means operative and inoperative, said advancing membei'` Ahaving means for seizing the casing, means for operatively connectingsaid ,rod and saidlast-mentioned means, Whereby'said rod"serves to render said last-mentioned means operativeand inoperative, and means .controlled .by` said driving member for-moving` said advancing member toward and away from said first means.

2 6. In coi'nbination, a rotatable driving member having a cam formed thereon, means for grippinga sausagecasing, means for for intermittently .and-'controlled byY said drivingmember, a..

operating said twisting means bythe movev ment of said member, reciprocable mechanism controlled byv said cam for' simultane- `ously rendering said gripping and said ltwisting 'means operative and inoperative' alternately, and means controlled by said member for intermittently advancing tbe casing, said last mentioned means including means for .seizing the casing, said casingseizing means being controlled by said mechanism so that' said .casing-seizing means' is voperative While said advancing means areoperative.

l'n testimony vwhere-of Ifhave signed .my

name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses. i

TILLTAM JOSEPH COLLINS.'

iVitnesses WALTER V. Boron, PETER F. BRADY. 

